It wasn't that big of a deal, but it was their first....and as bad as I felt, I thought it was kind of funny.....but, funny in a - they're growing up and entering the next phase of their relationship kind of way.

I think I'm going to have quite a time with these boys

Is there any truth to the idea that siblings born close together develop close relationships? And even with close relationships, do you find that the fighting is less or more? Mine are just short of 19mo apart.

I think it depends so much on the kids...two of my younger brothers are 2yrs apart. They're so dissimilar it's caused them nothing but friction their entire lives (now they're 20 & 22). I mean they were built-in playmates when we were going up, but it was punctuated by much fighting and they're still not close. They've gone through phases where they're closer, but yeah.

My husband and his brother are 3 1/2 or 4yrs apart and they were kind of like my brothers growing up. Built-in playmates but dissimilar and some fighting. They've said it actually helped that they weren't in school at the same time because they developed their own identities that way. Once BIL graduated HS they started talking a bit more and getting closer, so that's cool. BIL was a groomsman and sang at our wedding.

PLEASE! They are closer but they seem to fight more!!! At tleast this has been my experience! My kids bicker all flipping day and I am constatnly reprimanding them and remeinding them that they should love one another. HA! like that works.

my sister and i are 18 months apart. we fought all the time growing up but we are close now. we do still "fight" or bicker sometimes. we did have a major throwdown just before i had dd 15 months ago. it actually put me into early labor!!!! (wasn't a physical fight but an all out screaming yelling name calling get out of my house fight)

Having experienced these things (my siblings were 13, 15, and 17 yrs older than me!), do you think there's ANYTHING I can do to offset the terrible fighting? I want them to be good friends! Don't get me wrong, I do understand that there WILL be fighting....but to keep it at....i dunno...a reasonable level